All You Need to Know About Wisdom Teeth Extraction

Wisdom teeth are the last permanent teeth that erupt in your mouth. These molars appear between the age of 17 and 25. However, in rare cases, one might not grow the last three molars. Most people develop wisdom teeth with no enough room to erupt.

Why Do You Need a Wisdom Tooth Extraction?

Other than the teeth being impacted, most people get wisdom teeth removed due to the following reasons:

• They came out in the wrong angle and pressed against your other teeth
• Your jaw has no room for a full set of molars
• If you have cavities or gum disease within your molars

Problems Associated With Impacted Molars

You will require a wisdom tooth surgery if you experience issues such as:

• Prolonged or eventual pain
• Debris and food trapped behind your wisdom tooth
• Gum disease or infections
• Tooth decay on the tooth that has partially erupted
• Development of cyst around the impacted teeth
• Complication when undergoing an orthodontic treatment such as braces and invisible aligners
• If there is damage on the nearby tooth or jaw

Risks of Wisdom Tooth Surgery

Most extractions do not result in any long-term complications. However, once your dentist clears you for extraction, he or she will refer you to an oral surgeon. The surgeon will carry out the procedure in his or her office. This surgical approach involves cutting incisions on your gum and removing parts of the bone.

The rare complications associated with the procedure include:

• An infection in the socket as a result of exposure to bacteria and food particles trapped within the site
• Painful and dry socket
• Exposure of the jawbone after a surgery blood clot is lost
• Damage of nerves, sinuses, and jawbones on the site of extraction as well as teeth nearby

Surgery Preparation

Since it is an outpatient procedure, you are meant to be released to go home on the same day. Before undergoing the surgery, a Brampton dentist would recommend the following:

• Make arrangements for someone to drive you home after the surgery
• Ask your dentist or oral surgeon when you should arrive
• Enquire about what foods and drinks you should avoid before the surgery
• Avoid any non-prescription drugs before the procedure
• You can also ask your specialist if you can take medical prescriptions before surgery
• Discuss the type of anesthesia you will have
• Ensure that you discuss any underlying health problems with your surgeon

During the Surgery

Being an outpatient surgery, your surgeon can take 45 minutes or less.

Your surgeon will administer either local or general anesthesia as per your will. If you decide using local anesthesia, your surgeon will numb your mouth with a shot of lidocaine, novocaine, or mepivacaine. Sometimes, you can breathe nitrous oxide also known as laughing gas, to relax or doze off during the procedure.

If you decide to have general anesthesia, your specialist will inject an anesthetic drug through your vein or make you breathe a sedating gas through a mask. After numbing your body or site of extraction, your oral surgeon will:

• Cut an incision through your gum to expose the tooth and jaw
• Remove any bones that block access to the tooth’s root
• Divide the tooth into sections for easy removal and extract them
• Clean the site of extraction and stitches it
• Places a gauze over the socket to control bleeding

Recovery

Once the surgery is over, the surgeon will place you in a waiting room for the anesthesia effects to subside. If you had local anesthesia he or she might clear you to drive on your own. However, if you had general anesthesia or still feels drowsy, you will need someone else to drive you home.

For fast recovery, at Rosedale Dental care, we recommend the following:

Dos

• Place a cold compress on your face to curb swelling and changes in skin color
• Use moist heat to treat a sore jaw
• Take soft foods
• Drink lots of fluids
• Wait one day before brushing your teeth after surgery and avoid blood clots while brushing
• Take your medications and call your dentist if you experience any complications

Don’ts

• Avoid drinking with a straw, since sucking can loosen blood clots
• Don’t rinse your mouth harshly
• Quit smoking since it can slow your healing
• Do not eat crunchy, hard or sticky foods

If you are still not satisfied with the information provided, call us now to book an appointment with our expert dentist at Rosedale Dental Care in Brampton, ON.